1. Field of the Disclosed Technology
This invention relates generally to internal combustion engines. More specifically, this invention relates to an orbiting rotary internal combustion engine having an outer shell that is generally tubular in shape, and an inner, also generally tubular body, the axis of which inner body is offset, but parallel, to the axis of the outer shell. In operation, the inner body orbits, but does not rotate, around the axis of the outer shell.
2. Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,296 (Lopez) discloses an internal combustion engine with an internal orbital rotor. Several stepped crankshafts rotatably connected to the rotor pass through the engine casing. This engine has radial vanes which extend from an axis of the outer engine casing to form seals against the inner surface of the casing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,071 (Hansen) discloses an orbital internal combustion engine with a first, primary internal eccentric, body within a housing. The primary body contains a pair of secondary eccentric bodies spaced apart from the primary body. The housing of this engine has a cylindrical internal wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,368,089 (Frolik) discloses a rotary engine with an eccentric rotor mounted in the stator housing for rotation about an eccentric axis parallel to and transversely offset from the central axis of the stator housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,442 (Garcia) discloses a four-cycle rotary combustion engine/compressor/vacuum pump/steam engine/water motor with a main stationary cylinder and an internal rotor which rotates about a fixed rotor axis. Slidable vanes are anchored at the center of the main cylinder, and divide the interior of the main cylinder into increasing and decreasing spaces as the rotor rotates.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,350,501 (Watkins et al.) discloses a rotary engine with three rotating members that orbit about the center of the rotor. The outer tips of the three rotating members engage the lobes and circular cutouts in the rotor as the rotor rotates.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,631,632 (Arov) discloses an orbital internal combustion engine/pump having two inside impellers with radial vanes within each of several torodial cylinders.